For Johnny
by Desertfyre
Summary: Alternate ending to movie. Everything happens but Dallas does not die. He survives, but would he allow Johnny's last request to be fulfilled and in the process began to heal both him and Ponyboy?
1. I can't take much more of this

Disclaimer: Do I look like I own the movie/book? I'm still trying to remember if I read the book, cause I honestly cannot remember since the movie was so good. That honor belongs to SE Hinton.

A.N: My first ever The Outsider fanfic! (At least I don't remember writing any before---or any serious one for the matter) I hope it goes well.

I recently got to re-watched The Outsiders. It had been years since I saw it. I had forgotten about it until I came across it online one day. (Love the Complete Novel version. I'm still trying to figure out why they dropped Ponyboy getting jumped in the beginning, that was one of the best parts of the movie.) I honestly cannot remember if I read the book, I'm assuming I did, but I don't remember. I loved the movie when I was younger. (After seeing the movie, I had a Matt Dillon complex for awhile at the time, lol). So this is based on the movie.

This is an alternate ending to the movie. I got the idea from the end, where Ponyboy was reading Johnny's letter and he said that Ponyboy should show Dallas a sunset and let him know there is still good in the world. And I was like, Dallas shoulda got his sunset!

So guess what…by golly, Dallas getting his ever-loving sunset!

Bonus: I made my first Outsider music video. Dallas POV: Dallas and Johnny friendship tribute with a cameo by Ponyboy. Gotta say youtube and then the rest of the address (.com/watch?v=Nvg5GlmsEg0)

Summary: Alternate ending to movie. Everything happens but Dallas does not die. He survives, but would he allow Johnny's last request to be fulfilled and in the process began to heal both him and Ponyboy?

* * *

Chapter 1: I can't take much more of this

_.... Like the way you dig sunsets, Ponyboy….that's gold. _

_Keep it that way; it's a good way to be. _

_I want you to ask Dally to look at one…..I don't think he's ever seen a sunset. There are still lots of good in the world. Tell Dally, I don't think he knows. _

_Your buddy, Johnny_

_._

_._

_._

_._

Ponyboy sat looking around at the white walls of the hospital room.

.....again.

He had been here when Johnny died and now he was here again. He sniffed. It had been two weeks since that day. The day that everything happened at once.

The rumble.

Johnny's death.

Dallas' attempted murder/suicide.

He had been shot at numerous times, but shot three times. He flat-lined twice since he was rushed to the hospital. Since then, Dallas has not awoken. As the days passed the doctors became more and more uncertain if Dallas would live. He was alive now, but he had not awakened to anything.

And the gang was all scared that Dallas would die, because all of them figured out that is what Dallas wanted. Ponyboy himself had been sick for the past week, everything that had happened caught up with him. Sodapop and Darry had been worry cause they said he had been delrious, thinking that Johnny was alive and Dallas was fine. He just recently snapped out of it to the harsh truth.

Johnny was dead and Dallas' fate was up in the air. Everything that had happened did and it wasn't a dream. Ponyboy couldn't pretend that it was a dream.

He brought his hands to his face to bury it in. It had been entirely too much. First he lost one friend and now he almost lost another. And as far as he knew, he was losing another.

When would it end?

He sniffed again.

He remembered Johnny's letter that he read two days ago. It was still fresh in his memory.

But mostly he remembered, Johnny's requests.

Only two things were asked of him: to stay gold and get Dallas to see a sunset and know that there was good in the world.

And to think, he might not have been able to fulfill the last request. Still might not be able to. Fulfilling Johnny's last requests to the best of his ability was all he had to hang onto of his deceased friend.

How stupid could Dallas be? Ponyboy shut his eyes wielding them tight.

"Stupid Dallas", he mumbled. "Stupid, stupid, stupid!"

"Y're.....upi'.....'ne", came a mumbled voice.

Ponyboy's eye popped open and his head shot up. He looked up at the bed to see Dallas' head twitch. He near shot over to the bed (not there was much space between them to began with) and stared wide eyed down at Dallas, his eyes wet with unshed tears.

"D-D-Dallas?" his voice shook.

Said male cracked open an eye to look at Ponyboy and it was all the Ponyboy needed as he lowered his head and tears began to flow.

"We-we were all w-worried. They saved ya…..and then…..week….and…..I", by now Ponyboy was babbling as he laid he head next to Dallas' arm shook with tears.

Dallas' eyes were opened half-lidded as he watched Ponyboy's shaking frame.

"You are so......so......dang........_stupid_!" Ponyboy cried.

It was a moment later before he felt a weight on his head and peeked out from his arms. Dallas' eyes were closed but he had managed to move his hand to rest on Ponyboy's head. Ponyboy laid his head back down staring up at Dallas. Soon he fell asleep.

* * *

"I'm so glad you are feeling better", Darry stated.

The next day the entire gang was able to meet in Dallas' hospital room by the time evening fell. Everyone was happy to see that Dallas was awake and starting to improve. Ponyboy had contacted them to let them know the good news. Said male sat next to Dallas' bedside, practically glued to the bed. Dallas hospital bed was up at the head allowing him to sit up. Sodapop sat across from Ponyboy while Darry was in an armchair in the corner. Two-bit and Steve lingered at the door.

"Yeah, man, you had us all worried", Sodapop stated with a small smile.

"I just want you to get better", Steve stated.

"Yeah, it's not the same without you", Two-bit commented.

"Naw, that ain't it. I want him to get better so I put him back in here for near giving me a heart attack!" Steve cried.

Everyone laughed as Dallas rolled his eyes. Ponyboy chuckled.

"No but really……" Steve paused and pointed to the others, "What they said."

"What did we say?" Sodapop asked his mouth twitching.

"Ya know......glad feeling better...all worried and all that", Steve muttered.

"What…a guy can get no love from ya, huh?" Dallas smirked. His eyes still held a red rim around them so his smirk didn't pan out as it did before.

"Shut up", Steve groused good-naturedly.

Awkward silence followed. No one knew what to say or what to do. Even Two-bit didn't have any two-bits he could throw in as he watched the cute nurse wander by. Darry sighed and began bouncing his leg up and down. Steve rocked back and forth on his legs. Ponyboy studied his hands while Sodapop was playing with a piece of bedspread. Dallas looked at all of them. Finally having enough, he spoke up with a sigh beforehand.

"Ya think someone died or something", he muttered.

Everyone stopped their movements and looked at Dallas. "What?" Dallas asked with a spark of his old attitude.

"That's the thing………you did almost die!" Sodapop cried, his eyes beginning to get a little misty at the memory of thinking that Dallas was dead. Ponyboy's own eyes were beginning to get a little wet again.

Dallas groaned and leaned his head back looking back at the ceiling. "Not you too! Ponyboy cried enough for the both of you.....don't start."

"I can't believe you are playing this off so easily!" Darry cried incredulously shooting out of his chair to come closer to the bed, "Don't you get it? I can't believe you didn't use your head. What you did was stupid man! Sheer unabashed stupidity."

"So I have been told", Dallas sighed closing his eyes.

Steve sputtered taking a step forward. "What's not to get? You tried to get yourself killed man!" He was appalled that Dallas didn't seem to grasp the full implication of the problem. "YOU tried to get YOURSELF KILLED! What part of this do you not get?"

"Screw that!" Two-bit cried, pushing off the wall he was leaning on, "You did die, man……twice…and they managed to save you......TWICE!"

"And I wish they hadn't wasted their time", came a muttered voice that stunned the entire room.

.

.

.

"I-I-I didn't take you……to be……suicidal…Dal", Sodapop stated finally managing to break the oppressive silence that hung over the room.

"I can't believe you would be that selfish!" Darry cried.

"HEY!" Dallas cried lifting his head, his eyes flashing, "It's MY life! I can do what I want with MY LIFE!" he cried shutting his eyes tightly and letting his head flop back on the pillow. It was tiring him to yell like that. He breathed heavily, sucking in a breath.

"Man, if you weren't in the hospital and just been near critical condition I'd beat the crap out of you!" Steve growled.

"Yeah, go ahead, beat me up.......do me that favor" came the hissed reply as Dallas lifted his head, opening his eyes to look at the group.

Suddenly everyone but Ponyboy had something to say. The argument flowed into Ponyboy's ears but he said nothing. It fact he had gone quiet, not knowing what to make of this. He was still shocked at Dallas's words. He never would have thought that Dallas would feel that way.

Was he angry to be alive?

Angry that he had been saved?

Ponyboy just stared at his hands still, his eyes wide. Slowly, mechanically his hands came up to clutch his head. He couldn't get the image out. He couldn't get the image of Dallas being shot in the park out of his head. Unconciously he began to rock back in forth. He couldn't get out the sound of the gun going off out of his head, that horrible sound- BANG!- BANG!

BANG! BANG! BANG!........!

BANG....!

BA.....

Ponyboy snapped as he stood up violently with a cry. "Haven't our gang lost enough?" he cried before running out of the room.

"Ponyboy!" Sodapop called standing up. He turned to Dallas and hissed, "How insensitive can you be?" before running out behind his brother but not before sparing a seething glare in Dallas' direction to back his words.

Ponyboy marched down the hallway, huffing, not having any particualar destination. Pain and anger was flowing off him in waves. His eyes were blurred with tears. He reached up an arm to wipe across his eyes.

"Ponyboy…Ponyboy!" his brother called running to catch up with him. Sodapop touched his brother's arm only to have Ponyboy pull away.

"Don't touch me!" Ponyboy cried before continuing his walk.

"Pony......listen to me", Sodapop begged.

"NO!" Ponyboy cried spinning around to yell at Soda. Some heads had turned seeing and hearing the outburst yet Ponyboy was unaware of this, "He's stupid! Stupid, stupid, stupid!" he banged his head against his hand in emphasis. Soda panicked and reached to stop Ponyboy from hitting himself in the head. Ponyboy twisted away from his brother, "DON"T TOUCH ME!" he screamed but Sodapop was relieved he stop hitting himself. His younger brother continued,"Dallas is a selfish jerk! He sits there and says he wished he was DEAD! Haven't we been through enough?"

"Pony…" Soda murmured. He didn't reach out to try to calm his younger sibling.

"Haven't we?", Ponyboy asked again, "We lost Johnny and now we almost lost Dallas. We've lost our parents. Haven't we lost enough?" Pony slowed down breathing as sobs were beginning to come from him. He shut his eyes, as the tears pooled forth. "Haven't _**I**_ lost enough?"

"Oh, Pony…" This time Ponyboy allowed Sodapop to pull him into a hug, "Come on, Pony, let's go." Soda led his brother down the hallway into a sitting room. Soda picked a relatively secluded corner and maneuvered his brother to sit down though Pony was clinging to him.

"I can't take much more of this", Pony sobbed unaware he repeated excatly what Johnny said seemingly so long ago, "I can't…I can't…"

"Shhh, it'll be okay", Soda murmured not knowing what else to say, yet trying to comfort his brother.

Ponyboy's head shot up, his eyes red and puffy. He looked at Soda. "What part of this do you think will be okay?"

Soda said nothing. What could he say?

"Dallas almost died and Johnny is dead. What part of this do you THINK would be okay?" Pony cried before dropping his head down again and continued to cry.

Sodapop feared for his younger brother's well-being. He felt that Ponyboy was at the edge of his limit. Ponyboy had already been sick the past week, worrying both him and Darry to no end. When he got better, he flat out refused to leave Dallas' side until he woke up.

Or until.....

Sodapop nor Darry had not the heart to deny him anything at this point. He had been through so much lately. If this kept up, they would lose Ponyboy, too.

And that frightened Sodapop like nothing else. His younger brother was right.....they had been through enough.

More than enough.

"Hey, how is he?" came a soft rough voice.

Sodapop glanced up at Darry who was walking towards them, before looking down at Ponyboy who had slowed his crying and was currently nodding off. Darry knelt before the two, trying to study Ponyboy's features. Ponyboy had his face near buried in Sodapop's shoulder.

"I don't know", Soda answered truthfully his voice quiet.

"Perhaps we should get him home", Darry suggested, at a lost at what to do.

"Nah, he wouldn't want to leave right now. It's best to let him just to stay here. He is pratically glued to this place. He haven't so much as set a foot outside of this place; he hasn't even set foot out of Dal's room in almost a week since he has awoken and came back to his senses. Pony would be furious if he woke up at home, now, I would reckon. He has been through a lot lately." Soda argued running his hand through his younger sibling's hair.

"He cannot deal with all this. He has dealt with enough." Darry stated.

"I know that, but I don't think either one of us can help him", Soda said looking up at Darry.

Both were silent after that. They figured only one would be able to reach Ponyboy in his current state. And that would be Dallas, but would even Dallas be in the right frame of mind to help the youngest greaser?

**TBC....**


	2. Last Requests

Disclaimer: Do I look like I own the movie/book? I'm still trying to remember if I read the book, cause I honestly cannot remember since the movie was so good. That honor belongs to SE Hinton.

A.N: Nothing much to say. Hope you enjoy!

Summary: Alternate ending to movie. Everything happens but Dallas does not die from his shots. Ponyboy almost wasn't able to fulfill Johnny's last wish. Dallas survives, but would he allow the request to be fulfilled and in the process began to heal them both? He gets his sunset as Johnny would have wanted and in the process it begins to heal both him and Ponyboy.

* * *

Chapter 2: Last Requests

Meanwhile, after Ponyboy's fled out of the room and Sodapop following close on his heels......

Dallas was a little stunned at Ponyboy's outburst. Silence reigned in the room for a few moments, until finally:

"You are the stupidest man I've met right now", Darry hissed.

"What do you want me to say?" Dallas asked slightly subdued.

"Don't you get it? Do we have to spell it out for you?" Two-bit asked.

"What?" Dallas cried.

"You are important to us, you big dope! And you are important to Ponyboy! Put two and two together, man!" Darry cried. He itched to hit Dallas upside the head and he was sure he wasn't the only one.

Dallas looked up at Darry not saying anything. Surprisingly he looked sad.

"We just want you to get better man. We all miss Johnny, you are not the only one, so do not even go there", Darry muttered.

"I know", Dallas murmured raising his hands to bury his head in them, "I know", he mumbled again, closing his eyes tightly.

"I got.....go check on Pony....", Darry murmured before walking to the door.

"Tell him....." Darry paused at the door at Dallas' voice. It was a moment before Dallas managed to finish his thought, "Tell him, I didn't mean it………I didn't mean it."

"It might mean more if you tell him yourself", Darry said softly before walking out.

"I didn't mean it", Dallas mumbled.

Two-bit and Steve could say nothing as they exchanged worried glances. It seems everything was slowly falling apart and no one knew how to keep it together.

* * *

Ponyboy groaned and shifted. It was a moment before he cracked open an eye.

"Finally, you're awake", came a voice.

It took a moment for everything to register in Ponyboy's brain. He blinked and realized he was back in Dallas' room currently occupying the arm chair in the corner. Two-bit sat on the floor propped up on the side of the chair, currently shifting through a newspaper.

Ponyboy sat up with a small groan, running a hand through his hair. "Where is everyone?" he asked.

"Steve and Soda had to go back to work as well as Darry, they left last night" Two-bit answered, turning the page and muttering under his breath, "And of course, I was stuck with baby-sitting.....again."

Two-bit smiled slightly when he felt Ponyboy slap him upside the head. "I'm not a kid; I don't need to be baby-sat.", Pony countered.

"From where I'm standing, you are a kid and you do need someone to baby-sit you", Two-bit grinned up at the younger male.

"But you are currently sitting", Pony said deadpanned as he leaned forward in the seat trying to wake up the rest of his body.

"Whatever.....then from where I'm sitting you are", Two-bit snorted.

Ponyboy just had to get the last word in, "Unless you want to go by height at the current moment."

"Shut up." Two-bit groused.

"Both of you shut up. I'm getting tired of hearing ya'll mouths." came the new voice.

"Morning, Dal!" Two-bit chirped.

Dallas groaned and scrubbed his hand down his face. He looked over at the duo. Silence reigned. Two-bit glance between Dallas and Ponyboy. Finally he opened his mouth:

"Um.....uh....I gotta....be…somewhere...yeah", Two-bit stumbled before shooting off the floor and darting out the door, paper and all.

"Morning, Dallas", Ponyboy finally murmured.

"Yeah, morning", Dallas looking away.

Ponyboy shifted uncomfortable in his chair and twiddled his fingers. He didn't know what to say, if anything. He thought back to last night. He felt he should say something but did not know what he should say.

"You know...... I didn't mean it, last night." Dallas finally said snapping his head towards Ponyboy who had his head bowed, "I mean…you know that…right?"

"Do I?" Ponyboy asked lifting his head.

"You should"

Ponyboy looked away from Dallas who sighed. This was going nowhere fast.

"Why? Why did you do it?" Ponyboy asked softly.

"Did what?"

"Stop playing, Dally! Why did you try to get yourself killed?" he asked shooting up from his seat.

"It just happened. It's not like I planned it!" Dallas said.

"Do you think I'm that stupid?" Ponyboy asked taking a step towards the bed, "What do you think Johnny would say if he was here?"

"DON'T YOU DARE BRING HIM INTO THIS!" Dallas screamed.

"Johnny would not want you to kill yourself over him! You know that! YOU KNOW THAT!" Ponyboy yelled back.

"Shut. Up.", Dallas hissed his eyes flashing. He had not shown this amount of anger in a long while.

Ponyboy and Dallas glared at each other, neither on backing down.

"Is everything okay in here?" a voice of a nurse asked stepping into the room.

"Lady, get lost…we are busy discussing something", Dallas shot towards her not breaking his glare from Ponyboy.

"Keep it down, you are not the only ones here", the nurse commanded before turning to leave.

"I'm getting tired of 'keeping it down'!" Dallas hissed.

The nurse shot him a warning glance before walking out of the room. Still the two were locked in a glare contest. It was Ponyboy who wavered first. He sighed.

"Why? Just tell me why?" Ponyboy asked softly.

Dallas looked away from Ponyboy, refusing to answer, if he could even summon an answer to the question.

"Look Dal, I just want to know how I can be sure you won't try to get yourself killed so recklessly again."

".......You don't."

".....................Johnny…had a……final request." Ponyboy murmured after another moment of silence had passed. This got Dallas' attention as he sat up and looked at the younger male.

"Wha…Wat he say?" Dallas asked.

"It was more of what he wrote", Ponyboy corrected coming a few paces closer to take a seat next to the bed.

"Okay, then what did he write?" Dallas asked with an eye roll.

Ponyboy was silent as he slowly pulled out the letter from his pant pocket. He found that after he read it, he carried it with him. He felt that at least he still had a piece of Johnny with him. Ponyboy swallowed and slowly opened the letter.

"This decade?" Dallas prompted getting impatient.

Ponyboy sighed and glazed at the letter before offering it to Dallas.

"You like to read, read it to me", Dallas ordered. It was a moment before Ponyboy could muster up the will to re-read the letter out loud.

Dallas snorted after Ponyboy finished turning his face away. "A sunset? What is this.......girl scout or something?"

"It…it was one of Johnny's last requests of me: to show you a sunset."

"A sunset? Good in the world?" Dallas turned back to Ponyboy his eyes flashing, "When the heck did he figure that out? Was it before or after that Soc jumped ya'll and he killed him or was it before or after he rescued those kids? And what did he get to show for it…burns that led to his death! Where the heck is the good in that? Good in the world? Good in the world!"

"There has to be other places that aren't as bad as were we are."

"HA! That is laughable....no, really, I'm laughing", Dallas growled with sarcasm followed by a bark of laughter.

"Then maybe we have to be the ones that make the good in the world. Maybe…maybe we can't wait for the world to be good, we have to make the good in the world", Ponyboy speculated his voice breaking once.

"Are you high, Pony?", Dallas laughed once, "Seriously? The world is against us......we don't have a chance. Not one! How the heck do you figure we can make good in this world? This ain't lollops and candy canes! There is no field of flowers to skip through and even if there was I wouldn't be near one."

"But we have to try", Ponyboy urged.

Dallas snorted. "No we don't. We ain't. I'm not. What you do is your business as long as it doesn't get you killed."

"For Johnny…he would have wanted to see you try." Ponyboy said softly.

Dallas glared at Ponyboy but Ponyboy didn't back down as he stared straight into Dallas' eyes. "For Johnny", Ponyboy repeated quietly.

Dallas continued to glare not saying anything, but slowly his glare began to weaken. "Let me see that", he said gesturing towards the letter.

Ponyboy conceded and let him have it. Dallas looked at it. It was Johnny's handwriting. He read it through once…twice. He blinked his eyes rapidly. Johnny thought his death was worth it? That they had more to live for? Yet the boy probably didn't stop to think about how it would affect the rest of the gang. Just ran to rescue some snot-nosed kids without thought to his well being.

And Dallas didn't like kids.

He just didn't.

Yet a part of him…one that he well wouldn't show or admit to the others, he was proud of Johnny. Proud that he could be that self-sacrificing, always wanting to do right by others. He proved that when he wanted to turn himself in to the police after finding out that he had a good chance of being let off easy.

Wanting to do all that just for Ponyboy.

Cause it wasn't fair to Pony to have Soda and Darry worrying about him all the time, was what he said.

And after Dallas got him a hideout and fixed everything so that Johnny and Ponyboy wouldn't have to deal with the consequences of going to the police…and going to jail.

Jail was one thing he wanted to protect both from.

And after all that had happened to Johnny, he wanted to say there was still good in the world?

How stupid was this kid?

Or perhaps the question is how innocent was the kid?

How could Johnny think that Dallas and the others should start trying to see the world in a different way? Well, Ponyboy already saw the world differently anyway.....like Johnny did.

Dallas blinked again. "A sunset huh?" he asked finally after staring at the ink on paper thinking.

"Yeah…" Ponyboy was currently looking at his hands again.

"For Johnny then", came the soft reply. Ponyboy looked up at Dallas who as not looking at him. He knew he got as close to an agreement he was going to get.

**TBC....**


	3. Honoring his memory

Disclaimer: Do I look like I own the movie/book? I'm still trying to remember if I read the book, cause I honestly cannot remember since the movie was so good. That honor belongs to SE Hinton. Also, I don't own the poem "Nothing gold can stay". That is owned by Robert Frost. The Outsiders probably have more right to it than I.

A.N: Final chapter!

Summary: Alternate ending to movie. Everything happens but Dallas does not die from his shots. Ponyboy almost wasn't able to fulfill Johnny's last wish. Dallas survives, but would he allow the request to be fulfilled and in the process began to heal them both? He gets his sunset as Johnny would have wanted and in the process it begins to heal both him and Ponyboy.

* * *

Chapter 3: Honoring his memory

It would be that following summer, a year later, until Dallas saw a sunset. After he got better, he was promptly taking to the jail house. The gang did not see him until after he got out, on probation of course. It didn't take long for Ponyboy to remind Dallas about his promise a year ago. Dallas merely rolled his eyes and grunted when it was brought up. There was a small part of him that hoped that Ponyboy would have forgotten, yet another part of it thought about Johnny's request everyday.

But like he would admit that.

.

.

.

"Come on!" Ponyboy called out running up the hill.

"Yeah, yeah.....I'm coming", Dallas groused trudging up the hill, spinning his sunglasses in one hand, the other in his coat pocket.

"This decade, old man!" Ponyboy called out. That made Dallas growl and run up the remaining hill. He cuffed Ponyboy's head when he reached the top.

"Ow, stop it", Ponyboy called.

"As soon as you take it back. I am not an old man", Dallas said.

"Alright, alright…just let me go already." Ponyboy conceded.

Dallas released him and Ponyboy glared at him before lowering himself on the ground. Ponyboy had convinced Dallas to drive to this spot he knew, where he found the perfect view to share with Dallas. Of course where Dallas go the car is a separate story and frankly a 'don't ask-don't tell' thing. It would be a short while before the sun fully began its descent.

"Soooooo……" Dallas drawled placing his sunglasses on. He pulled out a cigarette, lit it and took a drag. Slowly, he blew out the smoke. "What we waiting on?"

"Dallas, sit down will you?" Ponyboy said drawing on his own cigarette he had lit up. He had one leg propped up and the other tugged to him.

"I'm good, thanks. What are we waiting on?" Dallas asked again. He wasn't seeing the hype.

"Just enjoy the view, Dally."

Dallas looked around pointly, "Uh, what view? We are on a hill, the park behind us, some trees, the sky."

"Sunsets are a gradual thing to be enjoyed. It's not something that happens in two minutes and you're done, Dal."

"And you like this mess?" Dallas asked. He snorted and took another puff. He so wasn't see the hype.

Ponyboy watched the smoke from his mouth drift away before saying quietly, "Johnny liked 'this mess' too."

Dallas glanced down at Ponyboy and did not say anything else. He looked off into the distance shifting on his heels. Ponyboy picked at the grass around him. They were silent for awhile while puffing on their cancer sticks.

Ponyboy looked up at the sky. Although he told none of the other greasers, he had searched for a worthwhile spot to see the sunset in their hometown while Dallas was serving time. Only this spot he found compared to the sunset where he and Johnny were in hiding. He blinked rapidly. Thinking about Johnny always made him sad.

"Nothing gold can stay……" He found himself murmuring lowering his head.

Dallas looked back down at Ponyboy. He took the cigarette that was hanging out of this mouth out, "Say what?"

Ponyboy was silent a moment, picking at a blade of grass. He found that he did not smoke much, having let his cigarette go to waste. He dropped it and made sure it was stomped out. He lowered his leg and sat Indian style. It was a moment before he repeated himself, "Nothing gold can stay......"

"What the heck is that?" Dallas asked looking back into the distance where the sun was slowly beginning to set.

"It's part of a poem." Ponyboy muttered.

"Johnny know about it?" Dallas asked flicking his used cigarette away. He pulled out another, toying with it.

Ponyboy nodded absently, "Yeah, he did."

Dallas hm'ed and sunk down next to Ponyboy lightning up again. He took a drag and rested his arm on one of his propped up legs. The other was stretched out before him. He blew his smoke out before hitting Ponyboy on the arm, "Let's have it."

Ponyboy looked at him, surprised evident in his face.

It took a moment for Dallas to realize this and he turn to look at the younger male. They stared at each other a moment before Dallas took his cancer stick out of his mouth, "What?" he barked lightly.

"I'm surprised you'd ask to hear it", said Ponyboy.

"Well, it's not like we got anything else going on. Watching the sun set and all is a long process, I'm finding, ya know?" Dallas explained shrugging carelessly looking back at said sun setting.

Ponyboy nodded absently and turned back to the sun setting. It was a moment before he found himself speaking:

_Nature's first green is gold,_

_Her hardest hue to hold._

_Her early leafs a flower;_

_But only so an hour._

Ponyboy stopped his voice cracking. He cleared his throat a few times. Dallas' eyes darted to Ponyboy from behind his sunglasses. He said nothing as Ponyboy got himself together to finish:

_Then leaf subsides to leaf._

_So Eden sank to grief,_

Here Ponyboy drew a breath and eased it out slowly. He finished his voice quiet, almost as if he was speaking to himself:

_So dawn goes down to day._

_Nothing gold can stay._

Silence reigned for the longest time. Dallas blew his smoke out slowly watching the shapes it made. Ponyboy glanced at him briefly before looking back at the horizon.

"That is wacked, man. I don't understand any of that", Dallas finally said.

Ponyboy smiled lightly an unexpected chuckle rising out of him. "I didn't expect you to, honestly. I'm just glad you listened."

Dallas flicked his cigarette butt way from him having finished it. He clapped is hands together, dusting them off before placing them on either side of him leaning on his palms. Ponyboy continued to study the sunset. He sighed as Dallas asked with a nod towards the view, "Ya....ya think Johnny is out there somewhere?"

Ponyboy sniffed, bowing his head, closing his eyes. "Yeah, I do." he answered after a second.

It was a moment before he felt a weight drape over his shoulders. He glanced up to see Dallas looking steadfastly to the horizon in front of him.

"Promise me you won't do anything stupid like you did again", Ponyboy found himself requesting looking at Dallas trying to read him. He found that he couldn't especially since the sunglasses successfully hid Dallas' face. Said male didn't say anything or acknowledge that Ponyboy even spoke.

Ponyboy nudged Dallas, "Swear it to me, Dal." Still he got no response. Ponyboy hit Dallas' leg. "Dally!"

"Quit yelling, boy", came a soft reply.

"You still haven't promise me", Ponyboy pressed.

"Would it make you feel any better if I did?"

"If you mean it, yes. We lost one of us, we don't want to lose another, can't you understand that?" Ponyboy shrugged off Dallas' arm and stood up anger coursing through him.

"Sit down, Pony", Dallas ordered quietly pulling Ponyboy's arm making him sit back down.

The anger didn't fade for Pony, "Can't you for once, drop this 'tough-could give a care attitude' about us? About Johnny?"

"Don't you DARE bring Johnny into this!" Dallas hissed swinging his head to Ponyboy.

"Well, I don't know what else to say. You don't respond to the rest of us. It's like you don't even care", Ponyboy cried, "You gotta talk about this or at least acknowledge it. We don't want you to blow again. I don't want you to blow again." He finished quietly.

Dallas whipped his head to face the horizon. Ponyboy stared at him a bit before he too turned back to the horizon. With shaking fingers he pulled out his cigarette pack and pulled one out. He took out his lighter, his hands still shaking. He put the cigarette in his mouth and flicked the lighter.

"Dang it", he cried after a few failed tries. He was shaking so bad he couldn't flick it properly.

In frustration he tossed the lighter away from him. Jerking the cigarette out of his mouth he tossed that too. Ponyboy brought his hands to rest his head in. He didn't know why he was being such a baby about this. He was a tough greaser; he shouldn't be acting like this! Begging Dallas to make him some meaningless promise. He had to be tougher than this. Even Dallas said that they should have been tough and smart like him, then they never would have gotten into this mess in the first place! But he wasn't tough like Dallas but didn't even Johnny say that was okay? It was okay that he wasn't overly tough, able to shut off his emotions. But he saw first hand what happens when one does that: they blow up. That is what almost caused Dallas' death.

Was it right to try to shut off his emotions if that was a potiental consequence?

Johnny's final request told him to stay gold. To don't change, that Ponyboy was fine the way he was. He shouldn't be anything other than what he was. He should follow his dreams; be who he was and not what others thought he should be. And Ponyboy was trying with all his might to follow that last wish of Johnny.

So that if Johnny saw him, he would be proud of him. Happy that Ponyboy succeeded when Johnny didn't get to.

Johnny was just that kind of person.

But it was so hard! It was so hard he was finding to be that person Johnny would be proud of. Ponyboy wasn't even sure he knew that person. But he would try. He was trying.

But it was hard....

"Pony....."

"What?" said male snapped not looking up.

"I swear."

Ponyboy sniffed and shifted. "Don't bother. It was meaningless anyway", he murmured. He felt tired.

"Pony don't be stupid! It means a great deal to you and it would have meant a great deal.....to Johnny."

Ponyboy looked up, dropping his hands, his eyes wet. Dallas was looking towards the horizon watching the last rays of the sun go down.

Dallas sighed. "I will miss Johnny, too." Curiously his voice wavered on the deceased greaser's name.

"I will too. We all will, which is why we should hang onto what we have left", Ponyboy stated quietly lowering his head.

"I know", Dallas stated. He reached up and slowly pulled his sunglasses off. "We should.......it's what Johnny would have wanted, after all."

Ponyboy glanced up Dallas and paused. He saw the silent tears that coursed down Dallas' face though said male refused to stop staring ahead.

"We can honor Johnny's memory by living well", Ponyboy said.

Dallas nodded slowly.

"He would have wanted that", Ponyboy murmured mostly to himself. Silence reigned for a long time even after the last rays of the sun disappeared and night time settled.

"Nothing gold can stay huh?" Dallas asked finally with a small sigh.

"No.....", Ponyboy drawled. A thought hit him as he added, "....but that doesn't mean that it won't come back."

Dallas gave a short laugh as he ran a hand down his face once. He sniffed. "That.... is totally wacked, man. I'm telling ya."

Ponyboy laughed shortly. "Yeah, I guess it is, but it makes sense to me."

"Well, I suppose I could try not to get myself killed. There was absolutely no stealth involved in my last stunt. Gotta at least enjoy the after effects of stealing." Dallas stated glancing at Ponyboy.

Ponyboy nodded looking back at Dallas. "Thanks", he said knowing that what Dallas was saying ran deeper then what was on the surface, "And thanks for coming." He added looking back at his hands, "At least I got to honor Johnny's last request."

And it frightened him to think that he almost wasn't able to. It was all he had left of Johnny. That one last request. And after all that had happened he could not bear to lose any more of his friends.

At least not any time in the foreseeable future. He lifted a hand to his face, leaning his head in his palm. He shut his eyes, tears leaking.

"Aww, come on man", Dallas said draping an arm around the younger male and pulling him close.

"I can't take much more of this", Ponyboy found himself saying Johnny's excat words from long ago. He pulled up his legs and rested his head on them, clutching them to his chest with his arms. Ponyboy felt he was at his wit's end.

He really could not deal with all this anymore.

"Come on, man. You won't have to. I'm still around and the others too", Dallas reminded.

"But you almost got yourself killed. And you did die, twice!"

"Yeah I know, but I didn't. Maybe Johnny put in a small favor for me."

Ponyboy gave a broken chuckle at the thought. "Yeah, I know and whatever the reason behind you surviving, I'm glad that you did."

Dallas moved his arm shaking Ponyboy as he said, "Right, so shape up! Johnny would not want us bawling like babies. We've all done that enough so let's ditch this baby stuff and move on."

"I can't help it", Ponyboy muttered defensively. It was a moment before he asked, lifting his head up to look at Dallas, "And you won't try anymore dare devil feats?"

Dallas smirked, "Well, I'll try to tone it down…", Dallas paused and added with a grin, "...cause if I go you are likely to fall to pieces, princess. After all my work with you and Johnny, we cannot have that."

Ponyboy punched Dallas playfully. "Shut up! I'm not that bad."

"Uh…yea, you are, but don't worry, my work will not be waste with you. Someone has got to teach you the finer points in life."

At this Ponyboy really did laugh. "Sure and what's that? How to irritate girls?"

"Nah, man. You gotta know how to work the system."

"What system? The law or how to get into girls….."

"Do not go there! If Darry hears you talking about girls like that, he'd kill you and then skin me alive." Dallas shuddered. If there was one man Dallas did not want to be on the bad side of, it would be Darry Curtis.

The man is scary......especially when it came to his brothers.

Ponyboy chuckled and wiped his face. Dallas glanced ahead of him and nudged him before standing up. He put his sunglasses in his pocket. "Get your lighter and let's go. Show's off."

Ponyboy reached and got his lighter and stood slipping it into his pocket. Dallas threw his arm around Ponyboy's neck. "This was totally wacked, man.", he nodded to the sky.

"Yeah I know, but at least Johnny's request was fulfilled", Ponyboy said quietly.

"Yeah, it was."

They both stood staring into the sky. Dallas drawled out, "I've got time to waste. Maybe next month, some time."

Ponyboy's head snapped up to Dallas. "Say what?"

Dallas growled. "I thought you said it was wacked", Ponyboy asked.

"It was; it is", Dallas confirmed.

"And you'd do this again?"

"Not for me. This is you and Johnny's thing…I'm just along for the ride since the both of you are princesses like that. As long as no one knows, and I mean know one….", Dallas glared hard at Ponyboy making him swallow and lean back slightly, well as far as he could considering said males arm was around his neck still.

Ponyboy nodded slowly as Dallas continued, "As long as no one knows and I keep my rep I'll tag along sometimes on these outings so you get your kick out of…golden nothings and somethings or whatever…."

Ponyboy rolled his eyes. "Fine. Deal."

"Deal, now.....can we get out of here. I'm starving", Dallas asked.

"Yeah, me too. Let's go!"

They turned and walked down the hill. Halfway down, Dallas took his arm back and started running. "Last one down and to the car, has got to eat mud!" Dallas laughed.

Ponyboy took off running, "I'm on track remember!" he called speeding by Dallas easily beating him to the car.

"Yeah, I see why", Dallas glared making Ponyboy grin and asked, "So, you gonna eat mud?"

"Heck no!" Dallas growled, opening the door to the car.

Ponyboy glanced at the hill. The wind blew, and he would have sworn he felt Johnny's presence. He looked around then glanced at Dallas who was sitting in the car.

Ponyboy looked up overhead scanning the sky. Dallas honked the horn, "Come on, Pony! Quit stalling. Sun's down, night is here, nothing to see."

"Thanks, Johnny", Ponyboy whispered before opening the door and getting into the passenger's seat.

Neither one would admit it, but Johnny in a sense had saved both of them. And they would both honor that memory the best they could.

They would live....

If nothing else then....

.

.

...then for Johnny.

**Fin.**

* * *

A.N: Yay, finished my first Outsider fanfic. I hope it was enjoyable! I hope Ponyboy and Dallas were somewhat in character. I wanted it to have some emotional basis, especially where Dallas is concerned, yet still have some degree of toughness they have and keep them somewhat believeable. And of course, some Ponyboy angst....

It might come off as a little OOC, but if it did, I had to for this story, but hopefully it wasn't too bad.

If you read this through, I thank you and Stay Gold!


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